The fourth Tomb Raider game starring Lara Croft is the longest and in many ways different. This time the adventure takes place ONLY in Egypt. But don't be afraid - you won't get bored!
There has been lot criticism about the fact that there is only cosmetic changes in the series. This one is no exception. But when the gameplay is so excellent why should there be any changes? I have enjoyed every title so far and sure was happy with this one. If you were disappointed that there wasn't enough tombs in the last two games then this one is the game for you. But if you thought Tomb Raider got worse from the first one then think twice before entering this tomb.
The story is actually lot better than in the previous games. Lara is looking for a relic to place it next to her fireplace and ends up with the Amulet of Horus. In the progress she releases an ancient (evil, of course) god, who is far from Uncle Sam type of a guy. Don't think that Lara wouldn't take the responsibility and reimprison the god but there is a small 'but' in the way. Her one time mentor, Werner Von Croy, is also looking for the amulet but he is not exactly thinking about fire places or decorations - he wants to release Seth, the god, in his full powers!
The game doesn't actually begin in Egypt but in Cambodia where Lara - after begging her father to allow her trip when she is still in the sweet age of sixteen - is helping Von Croy to find a relic. Von Croy - in my opinion -is the only and the best villain in the Tomb Raider series. During the game he goes through certain changes - and no, not the changes in teenage - and Lara respons with her changing attitude - and attitude worth looking it is! She has never been so tough before. And she has to be - there is all kind of mummies and evil gods she has to face.
The enemy A.I is lot better. This time aroubd they can follow Lara and do the same moves she does. They jump from cliff to cliffs and work in teams. Especially Von Croy surprised me in the beginning when he "tutored" Lara.
And oh boy, the moving train you must see! I'm not going to tell anything else because I want you to see it first.
Now, you might think that Egypt is either a great place to explore or a boring and repeating itself. But trust me, it is still the same fun. Perhaps 'the same' might scare you off but there is few new stuff, like hanging ona rope like Indiana Jones and Lara can also do various different moves - as usual. Core did again great job with the level design, and even with the limits PS brings, the game is visually quite beautiful.
The athmosphere is just great. The weather - epecially the sky - becomes more darker during the game and so does everythinh else. When you begin in Cambodia everything looks just fine but in the end you will be in the middle of apocalypse. Everything is dying and coming down. This was something that made this game different from the rest.
The puzzle solving and exploration is still the essence of the game but better A.I brings also more challenging action scenes. Lara doesn't have so many weapons and it is actually better to run away this time. There is many enemies that can't be killed. Ancient mummy or wannabe-god is hard to kill but better to trap them or just use your legs! But do not worry, there is plenty of enemies to shoot with your pistols, shotgun, Uzis or Crossbow. There is many different ammunitions with good and bad sides.
During the adventure I noticed that the lightning effects were better than before. The graphics aren't the best but still levels are very well detailed and water looks more realistic. Lara herself is pretty much the same. The old game engine, well, is getting old. But don't let the graphics to tell the quality of the game - because this IS a quality game. All you need is the right attitude. Instead of whining hours that there is nothing new, focuse on the good stuff. There is certainly nothing missing and there certainly is plenty of things to do.
This adventure has 43 levels so this isn't a game just for weekend fun. It is lot of fun but be prepared for a long journey. The puzzles are easy for TR veteran but some of them demand lot of brains. Remember that the puzzles are always simple. Don't bother to go through the hardest way.
Music of this game is lot better. It is sometimes very beautiful. When you're driving the jeep, the tempo changes. When you finally find the end of the level you will hear certain "you just did it" kind of music.
Because the gameplay is excellent there is no need to go to this area. But if you liked the vehicles in TR3 you should be pleased with TLR. There is only two vehicles, the jeep and motorbike, but there is plenty of great chases and jumps to make. Getting out of the vehicle was incredibly stupid - I had to push three buttons at the same time! I don't really understand what Core was thinking.
And again, the level design in outdoor environments is fantastic!
So, was there any flaws in this game? Nope, it got just better. TLR isn't the game you immediately start playing again because it takes lot of time to complete. I have owned the game for years and played it through four times. That doesn't mean it's bad game, it is just too long to play again and again. But the price in these days is so low that it's definitely worth your money! I enjoyed every second of it. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation was the best title on the market.
Create an Account
Member Login
